Flue cleaner



June -9, 1931. s. s. STRASBURG 1,808,870

FLUE CLEANER Filed April 19, 1930 6. 8. 6'7ra6 bury I 61mm, o.

Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED STATES SAMUEL S. STRASBURG, OF AKRON, OHIOFLUE CLEANER Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to a device designed for use in cleaningcondenser tubes, the primary object of the invention being to providemeans for forcing cleaners through the tubes, the cleaners being in theform of rubber balls.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of valvewhich will operate to release a ball from the ball chamher, and will cutoff communication between the barrel of the device and the ball chambersimultaneously with the moving of the valve to directair under pressureto the barrel or main section of the device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of meanswhereby the device may be held in the hand of the operator, the valvebeing arranged so that it may be operated while the hand of the operatoris supporting the device. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a device constructedin accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmental plan view of the device, the tube for directingthe balls to the body portion of the device being shown in section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the ref erence character 5designates the body portion of the device, which is cylindrical information, the same being provided with an enlargement 6 at one end tobe fitted over the end of a condenser tube to provide an air 1930.Serial No. 445,768.v

tight connection between the body portion and condenser tube.

The opposite end of the body portion 5 is threaded to receive the handle7, this end of the body portion 5 being closed by the handle.

The body portion is formed with an opening 8 disposed adjacent to thedischarge end of the body portion, the opening 8 being in registry withan opening formed in the valve member 9, which is also tubular information and mounted on the body portion 5. Secured to the valve member9 is a feed pipe 10 through which the balls, which are indicated by thereference character 11, are fed to the body portion, the balls beingnormally held in the funnel shaped container 12, supported at the upperend of the pipe 10. A sliding valve indicated by the reference character13 is positioned at the lower end of the pipe 10, and acts to retain theballs within the pipe 10 and permit the operator to release the ballsatintervals. Secured to the valve member 9 is a cylinder 14 which isspaced from the valve member 9 providing an air chamber 15, the valvemember 9 being provided with an opening 16 adapted to register with theopening 17 of the body portion 5, so that air may pass from the chamber15 into the body portion 5, to force the balls 11 from the body portion.It will of course be understood that the balls 11, which are preferablyrubber, are of diameters to closely fit within the body portion 5.

An extension 18 forms a part of the cylinder 14 and'provides meanswhereby the hose 19 may be connected to the cylinder, the hose 19 beingalso connected with a suitable source of compressed air supply.

Rods 20 are connected with the cylinder 14 and extend through the lugs21 that are disposed laterally of the handle 7 there being providedcoiled springs 22 disposed bet-ween one end of the cylinder 14 and thelugs 21, to normally urge the valve 9 to a position as shown by Figure 1of the drawings or to a position against the stop 23 secured to the bodyportion. Thus it will be obvious that when a ball has been fed to thebody portion 5, and the valve member 9 moved to bring the openings 16into registry with the openings 17', air under pressure will be directedto the body portion 5, to force the ball that has dropped to the bodyportion, from the body portion and into the condenser tube against whichthe enlargement 6 is positioned. Si multaneously with the movement ofthe valve 9 to bring the openings 16 and 17 into registry, the opening 8is closed so that the entire force of the compressed air will bedirected against the ball in the body portion.

A handle indicated by the reference character 24 connects the outer endsof the rods 20 to enable the operator to hold the device against acondenser tube, and operate the valve by merely closing the hand.

I claim:

A device for cleaning tubes, comprising a tubular body portion having anopen end to be fitted against a tube to be cleaned, a handle on theopposite end of the body portion, said body portion having an openingnear the open end, means for feeding balls to the body portion throughthe opening, said body portion having openings disposed intermediate theends thereof, a tubular valve member slidably mounted on the bodyportion and having openings to register with the last mentionedopenings, and having an opening adapted to register with the firstmentioned opening, a cylinder secured to the tubular valve member andspaced therefrom to provide an air chamber, means for directing airunder pressure to the air chamber, and a handle carried by the cylinderto be gripped by the operator for moving the valve member to bring theopenings of the valve member and body portion into registry to admit airand balls to the body portion.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature.

SAMUEL S. STRASBURG.

